Bride's Side, Vol. 8: 'A celebration of the people who shaped us'

Bridal blogger: Aubyn (of Aubyn and Tim) of Pride's Crossing, MA*
Connection to Maine: Bride and groom's homestate
Wedding Date: September 6, 2008
Wedding Location: Ceremony at the Friendship Advent Christian Church in Friendship followed by tented reception at a private residence in Warren
Guests invited: 200
Guests attended: 180 ish (about 30 from out of state)
*Click here to see original coverage of Aubyn and Tim's midcoast Maine wedding and here to view their slideshow

September has always been my husband and my favorite month; with its cool summer evenings and usually stable weather- we always knew it would be our month of choice. So even though Hurricane Hanna loomed over us, (and yes she did hit around 8:00 pm that evening), September 6, 2008 was just how I imagined it to be. And I think in the end, it was because of who we were focused on and not what. So my advice to couples is to make it personal.

We really wanted our wedding day to not only be our day, but a day that also honored our families. Our exact date was chosen in honor of my maternal great-grandparents who were married on September 7, 1929- that day also happened to be my paternal grandfather's birthday. We got married at the church where Tim grew up and his own parents were married. We chose to have our reception at my cousin‘s farm house, the place my parents were married. Our entire outlook was not only of the joining together of Tim and I, but a celebration of the people who helped shape us into who we are. Focusing in on this aspect made the “what's” easier to overlook and to ground us in what our wedding day was truly about.


Biggest planning surprise: that brides book some things over a year in advance (even if they're not engaged!) book the things that are most important to you as soon as possible!

Favorite wedding planning resource: I relied on the advice of friends and family primarily but also loved theknot.com, which was very accessible. I also became obsessed with Sam’s website and loved reading up on her clients!

I wish I'd spent more time: thinking about my hair-do and making sure I was happy with the trial run. The lady I had initially hired to do my hair rushed through my “trial” run and I left hating my hair-do. I didn’t speak up, and spent the last 2 weeks before the wedding stressing about it. To make a long story short, I ended up finding a different stylist and it was fine in the end... But definitely speak up and don’t leave before you’re satisfied with the final product!


I wish I'd spent less time: checking the forecast. I knew Hurricane Hanna was going to hit at some point, so why bother checking every 5 minutes!!

I wish I had: hired a professional videographer. Although I had a family friend take some video, the quality is not very good and is very choppy. I also never specified to them what “shots” were most important to get on video, so there are things like the first dance and cake cutting that aren't even recorded!!

I wish I hadn't: Although it made for a cool photo, I wish we hadn't used bird seed for people to throw at us after the receiving line (or at least used less in the packets). Not only were our guests brutal throwing it at us, but it got everywhere! Down my dress, in my hair, in my shoes, in my mouth... I was still finding seeds the next morning!

I am glad I/we did: I rented out the Blue Skye Farm Bed and Breakfast for my bridesmaids and I to spend the night before the wedding in, and to get ready the day of. It was a beautiful and magical place to enjoy with my best friends, mom and sister. We were able to have the place to ourselves, to relax and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast before heading to the church.


Favorite wedding moment: That is a tough call- taking photo's on the beach and the car ride to the reception rank among the favorites, but I think we might have to say our first dance. My dance instructor from years ago choreographed a simple, but fun number for us. It made us smile as well as the guests. I don't think many people were expecting it!

Detail that was worth it: Guests raved about the lobster stew. Tim's cousin who is a lobsterman donated the lobsters to us, but we had to pick it all out.... it was A LOT of work, but everyone was thrilled with the final product!

Detail that was a waste: the blueberry cheesecake deserts my mom's best friend made for us that never left the fridge... sorry, Nancy!


Best wedding splurge: Although I wouldn't necessarily call her a “splurge” our florist Kathryn Leibowitz at Flourish Flower Design (Groton, MA) was one of the best investments we made. She did the bouquets, boutonnières and arrangements at the church. I was beyond thrilled with her work. Sam will testify that I squealed with joy when they were delivered.

Best wedding steal: we were so blessed because we did nearly everything ourselves and with the help from family and friends. I'd say we got lots of “steals” from having lobsters donated to make our stew, to my wedding cake made by my cousin, and a friend doing our flowers at the reception... the list just goes on and on.


My best advice is: Figure out what is most important to you and start there. Having memorable photographs was one of my biggest priorities, so booking Sam was the first thing I did (just under a year in advance!) From there stick with your gut and keep the focus on marrying the man of your dreams. Everything will fall into place, regardless of whether or not it is “just how you imagined,” and will be memorable in the end. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to have someone put together a “doggy bag” of food from the reception to take with you. We barely got to eat!

And, for a bit of shameless self-promotion, what was your favorite part about working with Samantha Warren Weddings: The moment Sam walked through the door of the Bed and Breakfast she became just another one of the girls; only with a camera in tow. She was easy going, calming, and helpful! It’s obvious that Sam truly cares about her work and her clients; it’s not just her job, but her passion. This came through not only in her extraordinary pictures, but in little ways like remembering certain details and documenting it on her blog. We are beyond thrilled with the work Sam did for us, and hope we have another excuse to use her again!

Read Past Bride's Side Posts:
-Vol.1: 10 tips for making the "Best Day of Your Life" just that
-Vol. 2: 'Remember you are starting a life together'
-Vol. 3: Go green, but stay real
Vol.4: If I knew then, what I know now
-Vol.5: 'Try not to over think things- hard as it may be'
-Vol. 6: What to expect when you are unexpecting
-Vol. 7: 'It's all about being your collective selves'